Our Political Bitterness Is Destroying Our Democracy

The most recent, obvious example is Bernie Sanders’ run for the Democratic party presidential nomination. When Sanders ran, and lost, Hillary Clinton Democrats freaked the fuck out.

To them, Sanders was invalid. He shouldn’t even have been allowed to run. The argument, apparently, is that because Sanders isn’t a self-proclaimed Democrat, he should be locked out of the Democratic primary process.

That’s a very un-democratic stance to take.

The same goes for those of us who voted for Sanders. We’re fake Democrats. We’re not legit. We shouldn’t be allowed to participate in our party’s nominating process because we’re not “real Democrats.”

But to me, that argument is total shit.

If you’re a Democrat, like I am, you should never fear listening to someone’s ideas. You don’t have to like their ideas. You don’t have to like the politician delivering them. But you MUST allow that person to speak.

Because when it’s all said and done, WE get to vote for the BEST candidate based upon our opinions about the candidates.

Hillary Clinton won the nomination. For Sanders to have won would have been a total fluke. He didn’t.

But none of this prevents Clintonistas from continuing to viciously attack Sanders and his supporters.

And for the record, while I voted for Sanders in the primary, I also volunteered with the Clinton campaign. That’s what “real Democrats” do. We listen to the arguments. We vote for who we believe is the best candidate. And when it’s over, we rally around the Democrat running in the general.

So please, stop with the bitterness, make your argument and leave it at that. Your fellow Democrats are legit, regardless of who they voted for in the primary.